Pen wiper or cleaner



(No Model.)

J. P. MITCHELL.

PEN WIPER 0R CLEANER. No. 597,729. Patented Ja11.25,1898.

a) jnvenior JF.M16ZI6ZZ UNITED STATES JOSEPH F. MITCHELL, OF KANSAS CITY, KANSAS.

PEN WIPER R CLEANER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 597,729, dated. January 25, 1898.

Application filed April 9, 1897. fierial No. 631,476. (re der-a To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, J OSEPH F. MITCHELL, of Kansas City, Nyaudotte county, Kansas, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Pen Vipers or Cleaners, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being bad to the accompanying drawings, forming a part thereof.

My invention relates to pen wipers or cleaners; and my object is to produce a device of this character which will effectually clean a pen of lint, short pieces of hair, &c., as well as of ink.

A further object of the invention is to produce a device of this character which is simple, durable, and inexpensive of 1nanufacture.

To these ends the invention consists in certain novel and peculiar features of construction and combinations of parts, as will be hereinafter desoribedand claimed.

In order that the invention may be fully understood, I will proceed to describe it with reference to the said accompanying drawings, in which-- Figure 1. represents a perspective view of my improved pen wiper or cleaner. Fig. 2 represents a vertical longitudinal section of the same. Fig. 3 represents an inverted perspective view of the lid or top of the device with. one part disconnected therefrom.

In the said drawings, 1 designates a base of any desired configuration, elongated in this instance, and constructed, preferably, of glass, and it is provided with a cavity or chamber 2.

3 designates a top for the same and of corresponding contour. This top is by preference of metal. It is formed centrally with a hole or opening 4, and at its under side and at opposite sides of said hole or opening it is provided with parallel strips or cleats 5, said strips or cleats being longitudinally grooved, as shown at 6.

7 designates a pair of sliding plates, which are grooved at their opposite margins to form the tongues 8, which engage slidingly the grooves 6 of said strips or cleats at opposite sides of the hole or opening a. Said plates are provided at their inner margins with the depending arms 9, and secured rigidly there'- to by means of screw-bolts 10 or equivalent devices are plates 11, which plates are provided with inwardly-projecting bristles or brushes 12, the brushes of said plates, when in proper operative position, having their opposing ends in contact below the center of the hole or opening l, as shown clearly in the drawings. hen the plates 7 are adjusted to dispose the brushes in this position, they are secured rigidly but removably to the top plate 3 by means of clamping-screws 13, which extend through said plates and impinge upon the bottom of the top plate, as shown clearly in Fig. 2. The top thus constructed and equipped with pen cleaning or wiping brushes is placed upon the base 1, with the strips or cleats 5 depending and fitting snugly-in the cavity or chamber 2 of the base, so as to prevent any slipping movement of the top and hold it reliably in position as the device as a whole is conveyed from one place to another, the weight of the top being relied upon by preference to hold it from vertical displacement, although of course it may be temporarily secured in position, if desired. This, however, would be objectionable, owing to the fact that it is needful at intervals to recharge the cavity with water to a slight depth, as shown in Fig. 2 in dotted lines.

Only enough water should be employed to moisten the tip of the pen, as otherwise the next charge of ink might be rendered too pale for the Writing or other work in hand.

In practice to clean a pen with this device all that is necessary is to stick the pen down through the opening and brushes until its point is moistened by the water and then re ciprocate it rapidly a few times back and forth through the brushes, which reliably and effectually remove all incrusta-tions of ink and any small pieces of hair or lint which may have settled on the pen or have been gathered by the pen from the paper.

In the course of time the meeting edges of the brushes will become uneven from con tinuous frictional contact with the pens. To remedy this, the top is lifted off, the clamping-screws loosened, and the brush-carrying plates 7 slipped from position. The brushes may then be shortened by clipping their free ends with shears or scissors, so that their working ends shall be always square or straight, The brush carrying plates may then be slipped back into position and again 

